Blade Runner sprinter with no legs wins the right to compete in Olympics

By NICK MCDERMOTT

Last updated at 08:57 17 May 2008

The amputee athlete known as the Blade Runner has won his fight to compete at Beijing's Olympics.

Oscar Pistorius had been barred from the games over fears that his carbon fibre limbs gave him an advantage over able-bodied competitors.

Yesterday, however, that ruling was overturned with immediate effect by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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Sprinter: Double amputee Oscar Pistorius is planning to take part in the 400m in Beijing

The 21-year-old now has the chance to become the first amputee to compete on the track at the Olympics.

After hearing the news the South African sprinter said: "I am thrilled with the panel's findings and hope that it silences many of the crazy theories that have been circulating in recent months about my having an unfair advantage.

"I look forward to continuing my quest to qualify for the Olympics."

A clearly-emotional Pistorius admitted he had cried on being told he had the chance to compete in Beijing this August.

"It is a battle that has been going on for far too long," he added.

"It's a great day for sport. This day is going to go down in history for the equality of disabled people."

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Doubling up: Pistorius with prosthetics

Pistorius was born without fibulas - the thin bone between knee and ankle - and had his lower legs amputated at just 11 months.

Despite his ill fortune, he was a keen athlete at school and took part in rugby, water polo, tennis and wrestling. Pistorius took up competitive running in January 2004, aided by his special limbs.

Within eight months he had won gold in the 200 metres at the Athens Paralympics.

His Cheetah carbon fibre blades have generated a storm of controversy with experts divided over whether they unfairly enhance his performance.

The International Association of Athletics Federations, the sport's ruling body, responded in January by banning him from competing against able-bodied runners.

Pistorius appealed to the court of arbitration which yesterday said: "The IAAF Council's decision of 14 January 2008 is revoked with immediate effect and the athlete is eligible to compete in IAAF events."

Last year, Pistorius finished second against able-bodied athletes in the South African championships.

However he still must record a qualifying time of 45.55 seconds to make Beijing - a full second faster than his personal best of 46.56.

If he fails to make the qualifying time in the next three months, South African selectors could still give him a place in the Olympic 4x400 metres relay squad.

Failing that, he would be able to target a place at the London Games of 2012.

Earlier this month, Pistorius's compatriot Natalie Du Toit became the first amputee to qualify in the same year for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in swimming.

The 24-year-old, who narrowly missed qualifying for the 2000 Olympics, had her left leg amputated below the knee after being knocked off her scooter.

She was the first amputee to swim at the Commonwealth Games and won five Paralympic golds in Athens.

In 1904, George Eyser, an American, won six Olympic medals despite having a wooden left leg.

His haul in gymnastics events included three golds. He lost his leg when hit by a train.

• Costing £15,000 a pair, the Cheetahs used by Oscar Pistorius have been dubbed the Ferraris of artificial legs.

They are made specifically for sprinters by Iceland-based prosthetics specialists Ossur.

The firm uses a robotic arm to carve the blades from lightweight carbon fibre and make them into a shape inspired by a cheetah's rear leg.

The blades first appeared in 1996 but have been redesigned a number of times to improve their performance.

Custom-made for each amputee, they protect the remaining part of the leg from the impact of running.

And by springing back into shape they restore 95 per cent of the energy expended in sprinting.

Critics claim the elongated blades allow runners to cover more distance per stride and protect them from lactic acid build-up.

But Pistorius and his supporters say the limbs are vulnerable to wind and rain and that he needs more energy to start running.